P E A I H E A LT H Y E AT I N G PA C K
Macronutrients
LESSON 4
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
What are Macronutrients?
Nutrients we need in large amounts:
• Carbohydrate
• Fat
• Protein
We use them for fuel, building muscle and to provide other
nutrients like fibre, vitamins & minerals
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate foods:
• Bread
• Pasta
• Rice
• Potatoes
• Cereals
• Grains
• Sugars like table sugar and honey are also carbohydrates.
• Carbohydrates are the main fuel for our bodies.
• All carbs are broken down to glucose during digestion.
Did you know your brain uses 120g of glucose
• Muscles, kidneys, brain, heart and nervous system all
everyday? That’s almost ¼ of your daily calories.
need glucose to function. L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Carbohydrate & Sports
• Used by the body for fuel.
• Muscles store carbs as glycogen.
• Glycogen is used for fuel during exercise.
• Elite athletes often need more carbs than everyone
else.
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
How much fuel do I need?
Gender Calories Inactive Calories Active
Girls 1800 kcal 2000 kcal
Boys 2200 kcal 2400 -2800 kcal
• It is best to get most of your fuel from wholegrain and high
fibre carbohydrate foods.
• These foods bring with them other nutrients like fibre, iron
and B vitamins.
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Carbohydrate & Fibre
• Carb foods are a good source of fibre – as long as you
choose wholegrain not refined options.
• Wholegrain bread
• Brown Rice & pasta
• Jacket Potatoes
• High fibre cereals
Benefits of fibre:
• Reduces heart disease, diabetes & cancer.
• Helps to maintain a healthy weight.
• We need 25g of fibre per day.
• Check the label: 6g of fibre or more per 100g is high fibre. L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Where else can I get fibre?
Food g of Fibre
Slice of wholegrain bread 2 - 3g
Jacket potato with skin 3g
Bowl of high fibre cereal 3 - 4g
1 dessertspoon seeds 3g
½ tin baked beans 7g
Small tin chickpeas 10g
Handful of nuts 3 - 4g
Fruit or 1 serving of vegetables 2 - 3g
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Carbohydrate & Glycaemic Index
• Glycaemic Index measures how high your blood sugar goes
after eating a food.
• A lower, steady blood sugar helps maintain energy levels
and concentration.
Low GI foods:
• Brown rice, Pasta,
• Porridge, Fruit & vegetables, Beans & lentils
High GI foods:
• Sugars, white rice, potatoes eaten without skins
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Protein
Protein is needed for:
• Muscles
• Bones
• Skin & Hair
• Hormones
• Enzymes
• Immune system
• Can be used as fuel.
• Did you know your body does not store protein?
• Your body takes the protein it needs from your food.
• Any protein left over isused for fuel or may stored as fat. L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Protein & Health
Protein Foods are also good sources of other nutrients Protein food include:
including:
• Meat, Chicken, Fish
• Iron
• Eggs, Beans, Nuts
• Zinc
• We need protein foods at two meals per day
• Selenium
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
• B Vitamins
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Fat
Fat is needed for:
• Healthy growth & development
• Hormones
• Skin & hair
• Healthy Brain
• Fuel
• All cell membranes need fat
Fat is very high in calories:
• 1g of carbs had 4kcal
• 1g of fat has 9kcal
• Do use some fat but keep it to small amounts.
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Types of Fat
Saturated fats
• Less healthy type of fat.
• Linked with heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.
• Foods high in saturated fat are often high in salt and sugar
as well.
• Processed meats (sausages,pudding etc.); cakes, biscuits,
pastries, cream, butter.
Unsaturated fats
• These are healthy fats.
• Linked with a reduced risk of heart disease.
• Good source of vitamin E.
• Can be good sources of omega-3 fats.
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
• Olive oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, nuts, seeds.
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Omega-3 Fats
• The human brain is almost 60% of fat.
• Most of this fat is DHA, a type of omega-3 fat.
• DHA is found in oil-rich fish.
• tuna.
Salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, fresh
• Eat oil rich fish at least once a week.
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
Balance Your Plate
Carbs
• Pasta, Potatoes, Wholegrain, Bread
Vegetables
• Vegetables & Salad
Protein
• Meat, Fish, Chicken, Beans
Healthy fats can be included in cooking & on salads.
L e s s o n 1 - Ph ysi ca l A ct i v i t y, N u t r i t i o n & Hea l t h
P E A I H e a lt hy E a t ing Pa ck - L esson 4 : Mac ronutrients
